For more than three decades, USC Canada
has been supporting work in Indonesia in the province of Yogyakarta on
the island of Java. On Saturday, May 27th, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake killed
more than 5,700 people in the area surrounding Yogyakarta, leaving tens
of thousands critically injured and without food and shelter.

We are concerned about the health and
welfare of the people of Indonesia, and the partners we have worked with
over the past 30 years.

For more than three decades, USC Canada
has been supporting work in Indonesia in the province of Yogyakarta on
the island of Java. On Saturday, May 27th, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake killed
more than 5,700 people in the area surrounding Yogyakarta, leaving many
others critically injured.

We are concerned about the health and
welfare of the people of Indonesia, and the partners we have worked with
over the past 30 years. The loss of life and the damage to infrastructure
will have a serious long-term impact on the people and the region.

Farmers in West Africa celebrate biodiversity
with a seed fair in Douentza

This past November, Aly Togo boarded
a small bus in his village of Bankass, Mali, carrying several small bags
of seeds. Arriving in nearby Mopti, he joined 130 other farmers on a five-day
caravan, traveling about 200 km northeast towards a seed fair in the village
of Douentza. Their purpose?

Like all NGO's, and Canadians in general,
USC Canada was struck by the tragedy in Asia. While USC's partners in
Indonesia and Bangladesh have reported the communities where they work
were not directly impacted by the tsunamis, the sheer scope of this human
tragedy compels us to be a part of broader efforts to help those in need.

Since the disaster, USC has received
many phone calls and messages from concerned Canadians wanting to know
how they can help.

USC Canada has announced it will provide
$15,000 in funding assistance to help with relief efforts following severe
flooding in Bangladesh.

After weeks of floods that have covered
up to 60 per cent of the country, water levels in some places are beginning
to fall very slowly; however, there is concern that a second round of flooding
may occur in late August due to high tides in the Bay of Bengal.

The flooding is not only leaving behind
damage to the country's infrastructure -- roads, schools, hospitals --
but has also destroyed much of the current harvest.

Ottawa - USC Canada has launched
an unprecedented appeal to Canadians requesting help for the people of
East Timor. USC Canada Executive Director Ann Thomson says "The
situation is critical and to take advantage of the growing season we must
act now to avert hunger. The people of East Timor want to move out
of emergency aid and now is the time to put in place long term development
solutions."

By Ann Thomson
Michael Trenholm
Ottawa - USC Canada today launched
an unprecedented appeal to Canadians requesting help for the people of
East Timor. USC Canada Executive Director Ann Thomson says "The situation
is critical and to take advantage of the growing season we must act now
to avert hunger. The people of East Timor want to move out of emergency
aid and now is the time to put in place long term development solutions."